Am I crazy?
 

I have a trip planned for May of this year, and my 75+ year old parents have decided they want to join me on their last trip abroad.. so my questions are, is this too hectic, for them, trying to go slow, and yet still show them, what i know they wont be able to go back and see later...

They are very interested in finding art (oil paintings) to purchase and meeting artists as well, as they own a large art gallery in California. The type of art, is traditional oils, landscapes, portraits, and the artists can be alive or deceased if anyone knows the art colonies, in spain and portugal that would be great..
They love great food, wines, architecture, and art.

Please tell me what i might be missing or what i should skip... my concern (stairs or too much walking for them)

6-9 May Barcelona 3 nights - Palace Hotel
fly to Bilbao - rent car to La Guardia/haro (wine region)
9-11 May - Wine Area in LaRioja
11-15 May - madrid (drop car) (Prado/Toledo/El Escorial or Segovia for day trips)
15-17 may - 2 nights Granada (flaminco show and Alhambra)
17-18 May - Cordoba
18-20 May - Sevilla - Alfonso XIII
fly from sevilla to Lisbon
20-24 may - Lisbon - Lapa Palce
(sintra, cascais, Guincho)
24-26 may - Alentejo region - staying in Evora Wine Region
27-28 May Bussaco Palace/Royal forest
28-31 may - Porto and Amarante wine region
home..


i guess, I am wondering if i should re=arrange something in andalucia and skip Cordoba, and go to Jerez, or Cadiz, or Marbella with them instead.. too many wonderful choices..

thanks for your instights...

At 75, your parents will find it difficult to keep up with you. You may want to consider cutting some of the moves back and concentrate are fewer areas, Madrid north, or Madrid south.

Thank you and of course i would have only taken that route, but they really wanted to see the country... how do i do that? I thought just to go slow... but i guess it depends on where i can find them artists colonies...

Yes, you're crazy. OK, that's out of the way. ;)

Don't make your parents' last trip to Europe their <i>last trip ever</i> and slow down a bit.

I was in Paris with my Mom &amp; Aunt (both mid-60s), and in-laws (both upper 60s, low 70s), and a week in one place was perfect for them, even though they're in good health.

Unless your parents have the stamina of Jack Lalane, anything that resembles less than 4-5 nights in the same hotel needs to be shaved off, and added to the places you want to see.

Start by realizing you can't be in two places on days 9, 11, 15, 18, 20, 24, &amp; 28. Those days will be lost to travel, getting settled, etc.

I would suggest dropping at least three locations and adding that time to the others. I won't profess to have seen Spain since I haven't, but I'm dizzy just by the 10 changes in location in 25 days. Make it something closer to 5 or 6 and you'll have something you can bring your parents home from without needing to check them (and you) into a hospital for exhaustion.

Happy travels,

Jules

There are artist colonies throughout Spain, but the largest concentration of art galleries can be found in Barcelona and Madrid.

Barcelona is well known for its architecture, but San Sebastian-Donostia is also well know for its Belle &Eacute;poque architecture, called “La Bella Easo”. Sevilla is also well known for is Moorish influenced architecture.

One of the best wine regions in Spain is the Rioja, but great wines can be found just about everywhere in Spain, but in my humble opinion, the best cuisine is found in the north, the Basque country and Navarra.

It depends on your parents, ask them how they feel about it. They might find it easier if you keep a hire car for the whole time and take a driving tour round Spain.

My brother recently drove our parents (both in their 80s) from the UK to Portugal via a little tour round Spain and they had a whale of a time. They loved stopping off at a different hotel every night. They each packed a small bag each morning before leaving with everything they needed that day and for arrival at the next hotel, and left my brother to lump the suitcases around.

I travelled with my 80 year old parents in France a few years ago. My concern is the total duration of the trip, not the pace (you're spending 2 or more nights in most places, if I'm reading it correctly, and my folks did fine with a far more strenuous itinerary).

If it were me, though, I'd encourage my folks to either stay in Seville on their own, or fly home from there, and continue the Portugal portion on my own. (This is a long time to be together travelling! I also found my folks started dragging toward the end of our 2 week trip.)

As for changing the itinerary, if they love food, art and architecture, they really can't miss Barcelona, the Guggenheim, the Prado, or the Alhambra, so you can't really eliminate any of those.

But you might want to arrange things so they can take a day off if needed, just focusing on the &quot;must see's&quot; of an area, while you go on your own to see additional sites.

And have a great time! At 85, my folks aren't up to traveling any more, which is sad. So take lots of pictures and make lots of memories!!

Susan

You have a great itinerary, but it may be too much for your parents.

Perhaps they should chill while you run around cramming in as much as you can.
For instance, they could hang out in Barcelona while you run off to Bilbao and take it easy in Marbella (or such) while you scurry around Portugal.

I would skip Cordoba, and add Jerez, not Marbella or Cadiz. Check out the Paradors in Spain, there is one at the Alhambra that is wonderful. Also, you will love love love Alfonso X111, driving is wonderful via the highways, they are superb. I would add Toledo, it is a great city. you have a very very energetic plan here, and may want to slow it down a bit. good luck!

I think that every case is individual....Because,you may not believe it,but I in 1990 went on a tour of Yemen that was about ten days....There was a lady there who was with her son and son's wife....She was ninety years old....We would go to the ocassional remote village where you eat what the locals eat...She was able to travel with us,in 4x4s,and at one point I remember her looking at the men cutting up meat in the open air....She exclaimed,&quot;I shall never bother about hygiene again !!!&quot;...You see,this was meat for our meal that they were cutting up.....And yet it did us no harm,and she seemed to enjoy her holiday to this remote destination...

As many have pointed out, it depends on your folks and their health. The plans you have sound fine to me, although I like to spend more time in each place.

That said, I would not leave out Cordoba--it's a jewel, although I haven't been to Cadiz, so I can't compare.

It looks like you have 3 wine regions in Portugal. Maybe cut back on one and add more time to Barcelona and Madrid since they'll have more of a chance to meet artists that may work for their gallery in those places.

Also, another thought--May can get really hot in some places you're going, which might be a problem, especially in trying to move fast.

Why do you say it's their &quot;last trip&quot; to Europe? I have friends in their 80s who are still going back! Think positively!

The Lapa Palace is a very nice hotel. My ex-husband, Rogerio, lives nearby. You definitely want to see Sintra, but you could skip Cascais. May is kind of off-season.

I hope you are dressing your parents in Prada and Zegna. They will look so cute when asking for directions.